I found one deer tick about 1 month ago under my arm. The area around it turned red (about 3 inches around it and burned)
Found another deer tick on my stomach about 1 1/2 weeks ago.
Found a 3rd deer tick on my hip last night!
I started on Doxy (my first pill) this past tuesday at 3:00 PM.
What happens if this third tick had lyme? Will the doxy kill that? What if it had co-infections? How will I know as crappy as I feel right now?
What should I do?
I have not been to a Lyme doctor yet, they are sending me a "new patient packet" to fill out and they said it will be 3 weeks after they receive the packet back before they can see me.
Thanks!
Posted by lymie tony z (Member # 5130) on :
Wild thing...I think I love you....but I wanna know for sure!
UNfortunately no one can give you advice at this time...
Precisely anyway!
Probably good thing you're on doxy...if at correct dose!
I would suggest you continue the way you're going at present and see what comes out of the blood test required by your llmd....
Then go see him and listen to what he or she tells ya!
zman
Posted by Wildthing (Member # 6791) on :
thanks lyme tony! Luv ya too!
Wildthing actually stems from my website Wildthingstodo.com
No, I think I am not at the correct dosage :-( I am on 100mg of doxy twice a day for 18 days.
What should it be?
Posted by bettyg (Member # 6147) on :
quote:Originally posted by Wildthing: Found a 3rd deer tick on my hip last night! -------------------------------------------- I started on Doxy (my first pill) this past tuesday at 3:00 PM.
What happens if this third tick had lyme? Will the doxy kill that? What if it had co-infections? How will I know as crappy as I feel right now? What should I do?
I have not been to a Lyme doctor yet, they are sending me a "new patient packet" to fill out and they said it will be 3 weeks after they receive the packet back before they can see me. Thanks!
Wildthing, I HOPE YOU KEPT THE TICK YOU FOUND LAST NIGHT! Have it checked for lyme/co-infections although 1 of the other 2 could have had lyme or co-infection.
fyi, I've been on the same amount of DOXY as you since 8-04 BUT been on it 3 days; 2 days off; then start biaxin for 3 days; 2 days off; then go back to doxy every 10 days.
Here are some newbie links, please look over TREEPATROL'S LONG list of newbie links, you may find the answers you want there.
Read, read, read. The more we know enables us to have some control over this awful disease and helps us decide what treatments we want or do NOT want.
Welcome to this 24/7 LYME support group board!
Here's TREEPATROL's and Tincup's combination newbie links.
Print off the links then check them off as you read as you could spend several months reading all of this.
print & read Dr. Burrascono's 2005 info first; you will come back to this often.
Extensive info in Treepatrol''s newbie links about the meaning of WESTERN BLOT IGM/IGG test results from Igenex! Be sure to read or print this info IF Igenex tested you ok!
Also, see Cheryl''s extensive web sites on: LD DIAGNOSIS, SYMPTOMS, & TREATMENT ... wonderful! Read the area on CO-INFECTIONS! You could have from 1-12 other illnesses that tick is carrying...lyme, malaria, etc.
If you are showing symptoms of co-infections, I would like to suggest being tested for co-infections when you have LYME western blots done. It isn''t cheap!! But if you are positive, you can treat the co-infections first, and then work on LYME symptoms.
mention you have lyme and marshall protocol, they will give you 20% off! I'm NOT on MProtocol, but mention it anyway. I was on their new board almost 12 months!
Also they have been kind enough to replace the SCRATCHED LENSES & BROKEN BOWS! How's that for service?
I don't drive often at night, but I can wear NOIR's 901 lenses at night while driving; it creates soft candle lights coming at me...tolerable. NOT to wear in town with all the action of people crossing where they shouldn't be, etc.
from LOU to Betty on LONG web links and Thank You Lou!: "If you hit the return key in the middle of a link, I don't think it will be clickable anymore. An alternative that maybe Betty should be telling people about is the tiny url website. I have it on my tool bar at the top of the page and use it for those incredablylongwebsiteaddresses.
All you have to do is ask tiny url to produce a short version, which it will do with a unique address, which you then use instead in your post. Works just the same when clicked! Here is the website, spread the word!
3-1-06, fyi, I tried dragging tinyurl to my toolbar without success, so that''s why I currently have LONG addresses vs. short tiny ones! I''ll keep trying.
Tincup posted March 8, 2005, 2218 Lyme Disease Survey Responses February 27, 2005 - March 9, 2005 1. How many doctors did you have to see before being properly diagnosed? 112 responses Average number of doctors consulted before being diagnosed- 14 Answers ranged from 1- 120 different doctors 2. Have you had problems getting insurance to pay for doctors or treatment? 87 responses Yes- 63 No- 24
3. Have you lost income because of Lyme disease? 106 responses Yes- 99 No- 7 4. How much does it cost you (average) per month for Lyme related expenses? 61 responded Average cost per month per patient- $4,472.49 Low- $500.00 High- $21,492.00
5. How many different medications do you take per day? 77 responded Average - 14 different medications per day Low- 3 High- 25
Posted by elle (Member # 7721) on :
I can't stress this enough . . . whenever you are or someone in your family is bit -
1. Take a picture of the tick attached 2. Take a picture of the tick detached 3. Take a picure of the bite location after the tick is removed over the course of days, weeks
Document date and place of bite. Make sure you record the date of subsequent pictures.
Trying to explain what a bite or a tick looked like later doesn't work.
Since you may not have part of these don't worry, get documentation and take pictures of whatever you can now. Some is better than nothing.
I always place the tick in a medicine bottle with the date and the persons name, but the state I live in doesn't test ticks and I'm not sending them out for testing.
There is other criteria if you are sending for testing check with your state lab or Igenex for what they require.
elle
Posted by iceskater (Member # 8655) on :
Hi:
Sorry to hear this. I am really sad to hear this. This only reinforces my belief that the area you live in, and where I once lived, is rampant for ticks. You ask what if this third tick had lyme? We dont know even about the first two. Don't panic. My humble advice, in addition to everyone else here is to stay on the doxycycline. I would call the physicians' office that you will be going to and described the situation that you have received a third bite. I would ask if there is anyway they can work you in earlier, even notify you if there is a cancellation. Hang tight. Stay strong!! You are in thoughts and prayers. Send me a pm if you need anything!!!
Posted by elle (Member # 7721) on :
You should be taking at least 400mg doxy a day - 2) 100mg x 2 times @ day. When you call to see if you can get an earlier appt ask if you can get an increased dose. If they need help with that request send them Dr Bs pdf or print it and carry to the office.
elle
Posted by Andie333 (Member # 7370) on :
Hey, Wildthing!
I was just in your area last night, actually; I went through Royersford to pick up a "new" car I'd bought.
Nice website you have. As I was reading through it, I got so excited about seeing some of the things you talked about...but not right now. After this bout with Lyme, I'm a little skittish about my outdoor activities.
Time really is of the essence when it comes to treating this disease, so I'm sorry you've got to wait to see your LLMD (Lyme literate doctor). Unfortunately, there's so much Lyme in this area and so few doctors that many now have waiting lists. At least you've lined up someone and have a sense of what you're dealing with.
Also good you've started taking doxy, I think.
The one thing I might suggest to you is to keep track of your symptoms. The Lyme Association of SE PA has a pretty good chart you can use to record things on a daily basis. I started keeping a chart last May -- about a month before I was able to get my first appointment with a Lyme doc. I took the chart with me to my first appointment and have been keeping the charts faithfully ever since.
Doxy is a good first drug to be on. It is often used first in case you got Erlichia too.
Keep taking the Doxy and stay out of the sun. Get a big hat and cover up. Drink lots of water when youtake the doxy.
This would also be a good time to start taking probiotics (I prefer theralac, www.theralac.com) and getting on the anti yeast diet, www.wholeapproach.com. At the very least cut out all sugar and junk. Do some searches here to learn about detox.
I was on doxy for 4 months before getting to an LLMD. I had full blown Lyme and was miserable. I think I would have been far less miserable if I had gotten yeast under control and started detox earlier (epsom salt baths, podo-patches etc.)
Welcome to LymeNet -
hatsnscarfs
Posted by WildCondor (Member # 434) on :
Hello Wildthing, I like your name! Excellent! :-)
Okay, with so many tick bites, your dose of Doxy and the possibility of co-infections, you really should get to see a LLMD as soon as you can. Your dose of Doxy is incorrect, it should be 400-600 mg per day. Did you happen to save the tick you pulled off you? If you did, you can save it and send it to IgeneX labs http://www.igenex.com/ticktest.htm
Have the tick tested for Lyme and co-infections. While you are waiting for the tick's results you begin treatment, That dose of Doxy is not strong enough! You must be tested for co-infections and only a good LLMD can do this. Please let us know where you are located and we can help get you to a doctor.
While you are awaiting your appointment, try to get more doxycycline so you be on atleast 400 mg per day, so you are taking 200 mg twice daily. That should cover you for Lyme and Ehrlichiosis. The duration of your treatment is also too short, with all those bites, you may need a few months of treatment. Lucky you caught this early though! Now is your chance to get totally well.